Receptacle closure



FEB 14, 1936.. E. J. SELLA 2,037,093 RECEPTAGLE CLOSURE Filed July 27, 1934 NV 0 /.5 a pm .1 Y v iM B ATTORNEY I Patented Apr. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE RECEPTACLE CLOSURE Edward J. Sella, West New Yorlr, J.

Application July 2'7, 1934, Serial No. 737,216

4 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in dispensing devices, and more particularly dispensing devices adapted for application to containers of tooth powder and the like.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a device of the above described nature by means of which tooth powder may be discharged direct on the tooth brush bristles by a simple manipulation of the device and without the danger of spilling tooth powder. The dispensing arrangement is so provided that it is readily applicable to standard types of metal cans used as tooth powder containers, avoiding thus the necessity of constructing special cans or of effecting extensive structural changes in existing cans.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of an embodiment thereof.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section of my improved dispensing device;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation with parts of the container broken away; and

Fig. 3 is a plan View looking inside of the cover which has been removed from the can.

Fig. 4 is another view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the dispensing device on a somewhat larger scale. l

Referring to the drawing, l is the usual metal can having substantial elipitical cross section and 2 a cover which is friotionally held in place. The central portion of the cover 2 is formed into a pocketor cup 3 which is substantially circular in cross section. The pocket may be either formed of one piece with the cover or may be soldered or otherwise attached to the latter. The pocket top 4 is centrally perforated. A plunger 5 projects through the central perforation and is held against lateral displacements by a sleeve 6 attached to the top 4 around said central perforation. The side wall of the pocket 3 has a circumferential perforation l which is of the proper length and width to permit discharge of sufiicient powder to cover the bristles of a toothbrush.

The opening and closing of the perforation I is controlled by means of a slide 8 which is provided within and held against the side wall of the pocket 3 by means of guiding tongues 9 formed at the ends of a sleeve 9- frictionally held within the cup 3. The sleeve 9* contacts throughout its circumference with the inside surface of cup 3' except at the ends 9 which are slightly bent in to accommodate the slide adjacent the surface of pocket 3 in which the perforation 1 is provided. The slide 8 is perforated at in, the perforations l and 1 being of substantially the same size and capable of alignment with one another. The ends 9 of sleeve 9 are notched as indicated at 9 in alignment with the opening 1 in cup 3, so that the edges of tongues 9 clear the opening it) in slide 8 when the latter is pushed down, as will be hereinafter described. The sleeve 9 with its ends 9 constitutes, therefore, a resilient means for firmly pressing the slide 8 against the inside surface of cup 3 without interfering with the upand-down movement of the slide. The upper end of plunger has fastened thereto by means of a rivet l I and washer if a cap I3 which is of somewhat larger diameter than the pocket 3 and is in frictional engagement therewith. The lower end of plunger 5 has fastened thereto a leg [4 of slide 8. The bent-back portion of leg I4 is perforated near its end and fits over the recessed end if of plunger 5 and is held in place by means of a pin' Iii projecting through a perforation in IE. The pin constitutes the bent-back end of a wire, the other end of which is formed into a loop i'l surrounding the plunger 5 within the cup 3.

The plunger is normally held in the position shown in Fig. l by means of a spring is coiled around the upper end of plunger 5 between the top 4 and the washer l 2. In this position the opening ii! is above the opening l, whereby the slide 8 closes the latter and no powder may be discharged.

If it is desired to dispense powder on the toothbrush the can i is grasped in one hand of the user who tilts it and with the thumb or a finger depresses the cap l3 and plunger 5 against the tension of spring l8, whereby the slide 8 is moved downward until the slots l9 and l are in registry. When the two slots come into registry powder will be discharged on the toothbrush bristles held below the opening 1.

The loop of wire I! moving up and down within the cup 3 will agitate the powder that may be contained therein and prevent the accumulation and packing down of powder within the chamber formed within this cup.

When packing the tooth powder can with other articles, in order to guard against accidental discharge of powder, the cap 13 is depressed over the pocket 3 until its side covers the opening I and the-n is rotated, whereby through the usual bayonet joint connection a slot, indicated at H] in the cap l3, will engage a projection on the pocket 3, preventing displacement thereof until the cap is again rotated back to its original position.

Inside of the cover piece 2 a lip 2| is formed in alignment with the slide 8 and against which the slide presses while it is being moved up and down. Without such lip powder from the can I could escape between the slide 8 and the side wall of cover 2 and sift through the opening 1 in the pocket 3 even when the slide is in a closed position. This lip 2| stops up the space.

During the up and down motion of the cap 13 while dispensing powder, if the cap is fully depressed it will of course cover the opening I and thus stop the flow of powder. This is desirable since it will force the user, if insufiicient powder has been deposited on the toothbrush bristles, to permit the return of the cap to normal position and then to press it again, thus agitating the powder within the chamber 3.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications of the invention may be practiced without departing from the spirit thereof as defined in the claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a powder dispenser, a container, a cover for said container having a protruding pocket the side of which is perforated, a perforated slide within said pocket the perforation in which is normally out of alignment with the perforation in said pocket, the slide normally closing the perforation in the pocket, a spring-pressed plunger connected with and operating said slide to align the perforations in the slide and pocket, and an agitator connected with said slide within said pocket.

2. In a powder dispenser, a container, a cover for said container having a protruding pocket the side of which is perforated, a plunger projecting through the top of said pocket to the interior thereof, a spring between said pocket and the outer end of said plunger urging the latter to rise with respect to the pocket, a perforated slide within said pocket and fastened to said plunger, the solid portions of said slide having a sufiicient area to close up the perforation in the pocket and the perforation in the slide being normally out of alignment with the perforation in the pocket, and an agitator attached to said plunger inside said pocket.

3. In a powder dispenser, a container, a cover for said container having a protruding pocket the side of which is perforated, a plunger projecting through the top of said pocket to the interior thereof, a spring between said pocket and the outer end of said plunger urging the latter to rise with respect to the pocket, a perforated slide within said pocket, means for holding said slide in alignment with the perforation in said pocket, the solid portions of said slide having a sufficient area to close up the perforation in the pocket and the perforation in the slide being normally out of alignment with the perforation in the pocket, a cap fastened to and surrounding the upper end.- of said plunger, said cap having a slightly larger diameter than said pocket and such height as to clear the perforation in the pocket when the plunger is in its dispensing position, means for locking said cap in its lowermost position in which it covers the perforation in said pocket, a wire loop surrounding said plunger inside said pocket, and a leg projecting from said slide and attached to said plunger.

4. In a powder dispenser, a container, a cover for said container having a protruding pocket the side of which is perforated, a plunger projecting through the top of said pocket to the interior thereof, a sleeve surrounding said plunger inside of saidpocket and fastened to the top of the latter, a spring.- between the top of said pocket and the upper end of the plunger urging the latter to rise with respect to the pocket, a perforated slide within said pocket, a guide formed in said cover and holding said slide in alignment with the perforation in said pocket, the solid portions of said slide having a sufiicient area to close up the perforation in the pocket and the perforation in the slide being normally out of alignment with the perforation in the pocket, a lip projecting from said cover and contacting with said slide below the perforation in said pocket, a cap fastened to and surrounding the upper end of said plunger, said cap having a slightly larger diameter than said pocket and such height as to clear the perforation in the pocket when the plunger is in its dispensing position, a projection formed in said pocket engaging a bayonet joint slot in said cap in the lowermost position of the cap in which the latter covers the perforation in said pocket, a wire loop surrounding said plunger inside said pocket, a leg projecting from said slide and perforated at its end to fit over the lower end of said plunger, and an extension of said wire loop the end of which projects through said plunger below its points of engagement with the leg of the slider.

EDWARD J. SELLA. 

